


Silver Threads

by SLq



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Cruelty to spiders, Humor, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-24 00:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6135856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLq/pseuds/SLq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian notices a strange spider in the manor, Ciel is a brat, and Claude causes trouble without even being present.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silver Threads

There is a spider on the window ledge.

Sebastian arches a brow, a bit impressed that the thing had managed to drape a pearly web over the entire upper-right corner of the glass pane before being spotted.

Impressed, but not amused.

As much as Sebastian would enjoy squeezing the spider's swollen little body until it burst, the shrill tinkering of the bell labeled “DINING” demanded his attention. It would not do to keep Bocchan and his guest waiting.

“Bradley,” Sebastian intoned as a mop of blonde hair made to sneak behind him and into the kitchen, “Do I need repeat myself? You are banned from that room until Count Druitt departs. Now, do something useful and get rid of that thing before its kind infests the entire mansion.”

A sheepish nod, and Sebastian departs in a swish of black coattails and the aroma of freshly-baked Devil’s Cake.

He enjoys life’s little ironies.

 

* * *

 

The second time Sebastian sees the spider, he is leaning over Ciel’s slouched form, the teen moodily practicing the calculus set his instructor had left him to ponder not too long ago. He had been about to point out that the problem asked a picture of a person on a boat be drawn as a part of the answer – not a man being eaten by what appeared to be a cross between a shark and a small horse – when a sliver of silver caught his eye. There, in the middle of the room, a tiny black body hung suspended on a single, translucent trend. It swayed gently with the afternoon breeze, all eight eyes staring with interest back at him. Bradley has, once again, proven completely useless.

Sebastian is not pleased.

“What are you staring at?”

Sebastian brings his focus back to Ciel. The single blue eye is narrowed in ire. Sebastian smiles sweetly back. No, it will certainly not do to start swiping at random insects while in Bocchan’s presence. The little snot is already much too sure of his supremacy over any and all, mortal or not, to give him the pleasure of seeing his butler act so.

“Nothing at all, young master.” Sebastian pats the boy’s head. He manages to remove his hand just an instant before a viciously-jammed pen would have pierced it. “Now, about that poor man in your homework assignment…”

 

* * *

 

The third time, he is on his knees between Ciel’s thighs, removing a blouse of expensive blue silk one button at a time. In order to change the brat into his nightgown, of course. Well, that and give May-rin something to trip over for the next week (dangerous she may be, but subtle she is not – he can hear her breathing all the way from here). Ciel is as imperiously impatient as always, bare legs swinging even as he stifles his yawns behind tightly-clamped lips.

This time, the fuzzy thing is on the bedpost, half-hidden behind one of Ciel’s enormous pillows. The arachnid is quite big, possibly carrying a disease, perhaps even poisonous. Sebastian’s eyes narrow.

“Bocchan—"

“How can you be so incompetent?”

Sebastian pauses, blinking in bewilderment up at Ciel’s drawn face. The teen is glaring at him from beneath sleepy eyelids, the demonic eye glowing slightly in the dim light.

“What seems to be the matter, young master?” Sebastian asks, as polite as ever after a moment of hesitation.

“Well, seeing as it is one pass midnight and I am _still_ not in bed because some _idiot_ butler is taking his sweet time undressing me – after a day of suffering under culinary failures on said butler’s part, along with being incessantly pestered by annoying guests, mind you! – I would say that there is quite a lot that is the matter, _Sebastian_.”

The impious brat then proceeds to huff. _Huff_. The nerve!

Sebastian stands, helps the little demon-in-a-child's-body into bed, bows smoothly, and leaves.

He hopes Ciel chokes on the thing.

 

* * *

 

“Sebastian.”

It is about four in the morning. In another hour, the serving staff will awaken and set to their various chores with variable measures of success. There are a few moments of peace left, a handful of minutes lacking burned poultry and broken china and gardens resembling warzones. Sebastian rather enjoys the respite of human companionship. Finding the time to exist as he is - to practice the skills he alone possesses, even among his brethren - is a rare thing indeed. Tonight, he has allowed himself that indulgence. Laid out on his back, long body still and cold atop linens as white as unblemished skin, the demonic butler hardly remembered to breathe as he hunted through the dreams of unsuspecting humans. The joy of allowing his senses to spread beyond the confines of his mortal body invigorated Sebastian.

Useful information oftentimes slips through humans’ sleeping minds. Many a time, Sebastian had caught the next clue in his master’s little game of revenge through this manner of investigation. That, and the occasional piece of juicy gossip. Human drama amuses him deeply.

Sebastian had been following a rather detailed dream of Herzog Dorren’s latest exploits in London’s red-lights district when the thin, hesitant voice reached his mind. His master's voice. Sebastian's being snapped back into his body, quick and inelegant. The resulting headache feels like a knife stabbing through the butler's right eye. Repeatedly.

“Sebastian!” The voice comes stronger, closer now. The sudden weight bouncing atop Sebastian's chest informs the butler where his master had decided to rest his prissy behind.

Sebastian twists, dislodging his uninvited visitor. A soft thump and an even quieter _oomph!_ has the butler suppressing a delighted grin. Straightening the jacket of his uniform, Sebastian looms over Ciel's prone body in the mockery of a bow.

"Yes, my Lord?"

The dazed bewilderment softening Ciel's face disappears, melting beneath an expression of hot scorn. Ciel pushes himself up, smoothing the skirts of his ruffle-rich nightgown to cover his legs. "Your manners are rank," he hisses.

"Then we are evenly matched." Ciel bites back a likely caustic comment. Sebastian raises an eyebrow, surprised at the unusual show of self-control. A bit disappointed, too. His young master is so much more fun in fits of pubescent anger.

"Do you need my assistance?" the butler inquires. Perhaps there is a real emergency. Sebastian rather likes those - especially if they include his master trussed up like an angst-ridden turkey. Sebastian gives Ciel a once-over and sighs; this does not appear to be the current case.

"Yes," Ciel bites out, mismatched eyes glaring hellfire Sebastian's way. Sebastian basks in the attention even as he retains an expression of patient boredom.

Then the eyes fall away, apparently to inspect the bony bump of Ciel's own naked knees. The glare, too, is gone. Sebastian unconsciously leans forward, a wrinkle of confusion between his brows.

"Bocchan...?"

"..spider." Ciel mumbles, the only recognizable word from a rushed jumble of them.

Sebastian bites on a sharp grin. "Ah."

Ciel jumps on that single exhalation like a maddened dog at the sight of blood. "Ah? That's all you can say?" Each word rings louder than the last, and the fire is back in those eyes of violet-blue. "What kind of a piss-poor butler allows pests to invade his Master's bed, _Sebastian_?"

Sebastian breathes through a spike of very real anger. He words his response with the utmost care, and tries very hard not to strangle the insolent brat.

"I will take care of the issue presently."

"See that you do," Ciel harrumphs, hands crossing over his chest. The motion uncovers a portion of his lower arm - the twin drops of blood that rest upon it, as vivid as the purest rubies.

Sebastian has that thin arm gripped in a large hand between blinks.

"What is the matter with you-" Ciel's voice cuts off. The sight of his butler braced above him, eyes burning a demonic red within the darkness of the room, stays his tongue.

"What is this," Sebastian croaks. His voice, strangely, reminds Ciel of a raven's song.

"The spider," Ciel mutters. The word falls soft so he swallows and tries again, unaccustomed to exhibiting such meekness. "It bit me." This time, his voice is strong and clear.

Sebastian's eyes narrow to slits.

"I see."

The demon bends his head. Ciel tries to pull away, tries to push at Sebastian's head. The man does not budge, glare intent on Ciel's arm - on the blood that shines upon it. Ciel's angry reprimands die out in gurgles as a long, wet tongue swipes over the injured flesh.

A heartbeat, and Sebastian is gone. Ciel falls back against the pillows of the butler's bed, arm free and wound gone. Sebastian, for his part, is pulling on a pair of white gloves with his back to his human charge.

"I shall be but a moment," the demon informs and strides out of the room, as blasé as a cat.

Ciel gapes at the swish of long, black coattails. His eyes shift from the empty doorway down to the wet patch of skin glinting along his right arm. Slowly, he traces the healed flesh. It no longer burns - or at least, not with poison.

"Fuck."

Ciel drops his arms at his sides and closes his eyes. It is much too early to deal with this - whatever it is.

The fact that he falls asleep within minutes in a bed that carries Sebastian's scent escapes him completely.

 

* * *

 

Sebastian Michaelis is not greedy by nature. Had he been, he would have never made a contract with his current Master - not when the world is filled with fools willing to give up their souls at the barest glint of a reward. Sebastian is patient, takes pride in his charade as a human butler. He is content to wait as long as it takes to sink his teeth in Ciel's innermost self.

No, Sebastian Michaelis is not greedy. He is, however, terribly and ruthlessly possessive.

Sebastian regards the spider pinned in the grasp of his fingers. Its body glistens like onyx against the white cloth of the butler's gloves, eyes twitching within its rounded head.

Along its fat belly, a very familiar star burns tarnished gold.

"Claude Faustus," Sebastian drawls, examining the tiny spy. A press of his fingers, and the arachnid's body blooms outward in a mess of blood and innards and flesh. Magic pollutes the air. Sebastian inhales it, absorbing the curse's sting.

To think that Claude's messenger had been crawling over Ciel, had sunk its teeth into his Master's skin-

Sebastian closes his eyes. "I will make it hurt, next time," he says. The words, steeped in his magic, will be received by the one who needs to hear them. Sebastian doubts a mere warning will deter Claude; the demon had proven terribly stubborn in the past, although never in a way that had directly involved Sebastian.

In light of Claude's recent transgression, Sebastian cannot say that he would mind a confrontation.

Sebastian exits Ciel's room. The soiled gloves do not make a sound as they are pulled from the butler's skin and disposed into a nearby bin.

The demon sets forward, back the way he had come.

Around him, the manor rests in an uneasy sleep.


End file.
